


Speaking the Truth

by chaosmanor



Series: The Gift [6]
Category: Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-04
Updated: 2003-12-04
Packaged: 2017-10-10 23:33:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/105655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosmanor/pseuds/chaosmanor





	Speaking the Truth

Arwen peered around the partly open door to her father's study, and smiled at him as he waved her in with a hand holding an open letter. "I heard that a messenger had arrived," she said.

"Yes," Elrond said, as she curled up in a large chair next to the fire. "The Spring thaw has opened the High Passes." He crossed to a sideboard, and lifted a cup on a saucer and said "Tea?"

Arwen smiled again from her comfortable chair and nodded. She loved quiet times like this with her father.

"Have you read the letters from Lorien?" she said, when Elrond handed her a cup of tea.

"Yes. Galadriel and Celeborn send you their love. They say that Gandalf has recovered from the experience with the Balrog with most of his memory intact. Apparently he is even grouchier than before. He says he wishes to drink a vast deal of wine with Glorfindel when next he is in Imladris, so as they may both forget being killed by balrogs," Elrond said, then he paused. "He did send me a note about you. Apparently you placed a spell on Legolas before he left here. Gandalf says he nearly marched everyone back to Imladris when he noticed the spell, so as you could remove it," he continued.

"He is grouchy, isn't he?" Arwen said, wary of the look of censure on her father's face.

"There are two things I'd like to know," Elrond replied, settling into a chair opposite Arwen. "Firstly, how did you get a spell onto Legolas without me noticing? And secondly, what was the spell?"

Arwen looked down at the rug in her father's study and blushed. "Galadriel showed me a way of casting a spell that you wouldn't be able to detect, especially if you were busy."

"She did? Now why would she do that?" said Elrond, crossing his arms in his displeasure.

Arwen blushed an even deeper red. "She thought that there might be …feminine spells you would not understand or approve of."

"You're talking about complexions and that sort of thing, aren't you? Complete misuse of magical abilities," growled Elrond. He uncrossed his arms and turned to pick up his teacup. "So that was what the spell was? You did Legolas' hair?"

"No Ada," replied Arwen, trying not to giggle at the image. "No," she continued, her voice suddenly serious, "I placed a spell on Legolas so that when he kissed Aragorn, Aragorn would believe it was me."

"Why would you do that?" said Elrond, the laughter he had shared with her dying on his lips, his face suddenly serious again.

"I can see that Aragorn's strength will fail him, and he will believe he is alone. The gift of the kiss that Legolas carries is the only way I can be with him when he needs me," she said.

Elrond nodded. Arwen shared her mother and grandmother's gift for foresight, and he did not doubt her vision. "Child, love and magic do not mix. Touching love with magic changes it. Did Galadriel not teach you this?"

"Yes, Ada, she did. But she also said that some things are so treasured that the rules must be broken for them," said Arwen.

Arwen watched anger wash over her father's face as she said this. She was sure it was her grandmother's words that had enraged her father, rather than her own actions.

Elrond stood from his chair and paced the room, his fists opening and closing at his sides. "She has learnt nothing after all this time. No wonder she is still in exile," he ranted.

Arwen sat quietly, sipping her tea as Elrond continued to pace his study. After several turns he came and knelt beside her chair and took her hand, no longer angry. "She is wrong. No good can come of trying to control another person by magic. Love will go where it will, and, like water, it can only be grasped when it has turned to ice, and even then it is slippery. But, your concern for Aragorn is honourable, and I hope he appreciates this."

Arwen smiled at her father as the anger on his face was replaced with concern for her. "He loves me. I know that," she said, rising from her chair.

Elrond wondered at the certainty in Arwen's voice. He could not share her confidence. Mortality drove Men to seize love with a rashness that Elves could usually afford the time to avoid. In all of his centuries the only time he had ever been rash himself was under the threat of war against Sauron, when he had spoken of a secret love, stricken by fear that his beloved would perish in battle.

Arwen bent and kissed his head, and left, moving silently across the room.

Elrond stayed where was, kneeling beside the now empty chair. He considered going after Arwen and trying to explain the fear that gripped him. He was afraid that Arwen had damaged her relationship with Aragorn in some way that he could not find words for, and did not think he could explain to her.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

They rode at a gentle pace, travelling from the coomb to the River Isen. The moon rose slowly, and on the open plain the well-armed party stretched out

 

When Legolas had allowed Arod to drop back from Shadowfax a little, Gimli spoke. "You ride easy tonight, Legolas," he said

"Yes," replied the elf. "There is no urgency, and we are all weary still from the battle."

"I went looking for you this morning," said the dwarf.

"And did you find me?" replied Legolas, curious as to whether Gimli had found the dark cave behind the stables.

"Yes. Aragorn was washing your hair," said Gimli. "So I did not intrude."

*And yet you do now, friend dwarf* thought Legolas.

"I thought that, perhaps, you would not ride so easy," said Gimli.

Legolas was puzzled by Gimli's words for a moment, until realisation as to what Gimli had just said dawned. Anger flared, followed quickly by laughter. *Maybe dwarves say these things to each other* Legolas thought to calm himself.

"Master dwarf, you nearly found yourself pushed from this horse. But you are making assumptions that are false. It is not I that am riding light tonight. And if you did not wish to hear that, you should not have raised the subject," responded Legolas.

Gimli sat in silence on the back of the horse for a long time. Legolas chuckled quietly to himself, resolving to tell Aragorn about the conversation when there was time.

 

* * * * * * *** * * ***************

 

They camped beside the bed of the Isen River for what was left of the night.

Aragorn had drawn Legolas into his arms and wrapped both of their blankets around them. "After today, I hunger for your touch. I no longer care for other's opinions," he had whispered to Legolas, ignoring the stares from the guards of the Mark who had lain down around them.

Legolas had been content to be held with his back to Aragorn, held tightly in his arms. He had listened to Aragorn fall asleep, and then had drifted off to sleep himself.

During the night he had awoken when Aragorn had pulled close against him. Legolas couldn't tell whether Aragorn was awake or asleep, or somewhere in between, but his mouth was kissing Legolas' neck, and his cock was rubbing firmly through his breeches and against the elf's leggings.

Legolas' breath had caught when Aragorn's hand slipped between their bodies and into his leggings at the back. He managed to hold still until the hand had moved from caressing his buttock to brushing lightly over the puckered skin of his ass.

"Stop," he whispered, taking care to speak in elvish so none of the Rohirrim around them would understand.

Aragorn's hand stilled, and then pulled out of the elf's leggings, and the arm holding him loosened.

Legolas turned onto his back so as to see Aragorn's face. He was definitely awake, his eyes were glittering in the late moonlight.

A moment later, Aragorn's mouth was upon his, demanding, coaxing, teasing his mouth open. Legolas responded, running his tongue over Aragorn's bitten lip, trying hard not to whimper with the desire rushing through him.

Aragorn's lips at his ear hushed him, and then whispered, still in elvish "Will you touch me? I'm very close."

Legolas slid his hand away from Aragorn's neck, and moved it under their blankets and down the man's chest. His breeches were undone, and his rock hard cock was easy to find. Legolas stroked Aragorn's cock softly and whispered back "Can you be quiet if I do?"

In reply Aragorn moved his mouth back to the elf's, and flexed his hips so that his cock moved in Legolas' hands.

Legolas began to stroke more firmly with his hand, spreading the liquid leaking from the head of the man's cock over the length of it. He felt Aragorn's cock harden even more, and felt the intensity of the man's kisses increase and knew he was close.

A moment later Aragorn was coming, hot liquid splashing over clothes and blankets, his tongue thrusting into Legolas' mouth in a silent release of pleasure.

Then Aragorn's hand was fumbling with Legolas' leggings, pulling his painfully hard cock free. Legolas almost cried out with the first agonisingly pleasurable stroke, but Aragorn's mouth smothered the cry.

"You must be quiet," he reminded the elf in a whisper, before kissing him again.

Legolas was on the edge of coming within a few strokes, had his arms around Aragorn's back and neck, was kissing him deeply, was coming hard and adding his liquid to Aragorn's on their clothes and blankets after a few more strokes.

Legolas lay next to Aragorn, feeling waves of pleasure still washing through him, barely aware of the man pulling up his leggings and rearranging his own breeches.

Aragorn rested his head on Legolas' chest, embracing the elf as he slid back into sleep, soothed by the touch of the long elvish fingers threaded through his hair.

 

* * * * * * * * *

As they dismounted at the stables at the Hornburg in Helm's Deep, Aragorn walked over to Elladan, who was settling his own horse in a stall. Elrohir was next to him, unrolling a blanket.

The twins stepped forward and wrapped themselves around Aragorn in a shared brotherly embrace.

"I must speak to you both privately," said Aragorn.

"We have personal messages for you, too" said Elladan

The three of them passed through the Deep and walked out upon the partially repaired Wall.

Elrohir reached inside his tunic and pulled out a sealed letter, and offered it to Aragorn.

Aragorn could clearly see Arwen's sigil on the letter, and held it in his hand reluctantly.

"I must return this to you unread," Aragorn said hesitantly, as he offered the letter back to Elrohir. "I am not sure how to say this, but I have broken my betrothal vows to Arwen," said Aragorn, his voice low. "I will be sending letters explaining my actions to both Lady Arwen and Lord Elrond by the first despatch rider available."

The twins looked at him in amazement at this speech, and were further stunned as Aragorn removed the elf-stone pendant that they knew Arwen had given him from around his neck. Aragorn held out the Evenstar to Elladan.

"I must return this gift to her family," he said.

Both twins moved back from the necklace, obviously reluctant to touch it. Elrohir reached into his tunic pocket and pulled out a lightweight leather riding glove. He held the wrist of the glove open and gestured to Aragorn to place the necklace into the glove.

Elladan took the glove with the necklace from Elrohir's hands and pocketed it, and both twins continued to stare at him in silence.

Aragorn watched their handling of the necklace with confusion on his face.

After a moment Elladan spoke, no reproach in his voice, "Are you going to tell us what happened?"

Aragorn looked at the stone work under his feet and his voice was shamed. "I have… become involved with someone else."

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged glances, and remained silent.

Aragorn looked at them both again, puzzled by their lack of response. "I understand that you will not wish to ride with me because of this. I am sure Eomer and the Mark will welcome your swords," he said.

Elladan glanced again at Elrohir, who nodded, and Elladan said, "We will still be riding with you, Aragorn. Neither of us has ever been able to tell you, but we have both had doubts about your relationship with Arwen."

Aragorn looked from one twin's face to the other. "Doubts? About me? Why did you never speak?"

"Not you, doubts about Arwen," replied Elladan, to Aragorn's amazement.

"We have felt that Arwen in some way, probably magical, manipulated or misled you into a relationship for her own reasons" completed Elrohir. Both twins' faces showed their distaste at their sister's actions.

Aragorn stared at Elrohir in astonishment. "Her own reasons?" he asked, feeling as though he was caught in an horrific dream, and could not wake.

"We think she is obsessed with Luthien, with living out Luthien's life," explained Elrohir.

"We think that she believes she is Luthien reborn," added Elladan.

"She has always wanted Barahir's ring, that Luthien wore, and the only way to get it was to pursue a Ranger of Elendil's line. Yourself," said Elrohir.

The three of them stood in silence, Aragorn's head reeling with the twins' words.

"We have never spoken of this before, except to each other, but in the past she has had relationships with other Rangers, though none as serious as your involvement with her. And each time she has looked for self-destruction. And each time the relationship has ended painfully, and she has considered mortality," added Elladan.

Aragorn stood, stunned, his thoughts whirling, trying to make sense of the twin's words.

Then he remembered their odd handling of the necklace. "Is that what is wrong with the necklace? Why won't you touch it?"

Elladan shrugged. "It has certainly been magically worked. It probably has a love spell on it. Or it is a talisman. Or it might be unpleasant for anyone but you to touch, so we were just being cautious," he said.

Aragorn thought back. No one else had ever touched the Evenstar. Gandalf had poked him accusingly next to the Evenstar, and presumably Legolas knew the necklace was magical, because the only time he had ever touched the necklace was in a dream.

The three of them stood in silence, occupied with their own thoughts, uncertain what to say.

Elladan spoke at last. "Will you at least tell us who has captured your heart?"

Aragorn nodded, then spoke. "Legolas," he said.

The twins and Aragorn turned and walked back to the Deep in silence, Elrohir with his arm protectively around his brother.

*************************


End file.
